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10 Low-Carb Comfort Food Recipes You Can Eat on the Keto Diet

With a handful of simple ingredient swaps, you can eat comfort foods including pancakes, mac and cheese, and fried chicken.

David Illini/Stocksy

Sure, the ketogenic diet gives you permission to load your plate with fat, but for those more used to the Standard American Diet (SAD), sticking with the approach may pose challenges on the carbohydrate front. As the 2015–2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines note, the SAD is high in added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. You’ll find those things aplenty in refined-carb foods such as cake, cookies, potato chips, pretzels, and fried foods, and often in processed “white” foods including white pasta and white bread.

On the keto diet, you’ll limit all carbs, whether they’re complex or refined, to only 5 to 10 percent of your daily calories. At the same time, between 60 and 80 percent of your calories will come from fat, and the remaining calories will come from protein, meaning you’ll eat foods with this macronutrient in moderation.

Here, we’ve rounded up 10 keto diet friendly recipes for classic comfort foods. These meals can be smart substitutes for their traditional counterparts, but as with all foods you’ll eat on this restrictive plan, you’ll want to look at your diet holistically when choosing how to fill your plate. And because these foods are not always high in healthy fat, you’ll want to eat them in moderation.

Keto Diet Pancakes With Almond and Coconut Flour

Wholesome Yum

Before you adopted the keto diet, you may have enjoyed brunching with friends over a stack of warm, fluffy pancakes, and you may be hungering for this comforting breakfast staple yet again. Luckily, this version will fit your plan, with only 3 grams (g) of net carbs per serving. Net carbs are not an official macronutrient that nutritional authorities recognize, but keto dieters often count carbs this way — by taking the total carbs and subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols. Net carbs indicate how much of the total carb content your body will digest.

In this keto pancake recipe, you’ll swap the usual grain flour for almond and coconut flours, so you can reduce the carbohydrate without losing the flavor and texture you love.

Keto Fried Chicken With Crumbled Pork Rinds

The Little Pine

You already know that poultry is fair game on the keto diet. But crispy fried chicken, which packs about 11.6 net carbs per 100 g serving, isn’t normally permitted. This recipe, though, allows you to enjoy all the juicy goodness of the Southern comfort food with next to no net carbs. By replacing the flour coating with crumbled pork rinds, you can indulge with only 1 g of net carbs per serving.

Keto-Friendly Sliced Bread With Only 5 Ingredients

Wholesome Yum

Former carb eaters on the keto diet often reminisce about noshing bread, and with this recipe, you can make your dream come true. With only five ingredients needed to whip it up, this almond- and coconut-flour-based bread contains only 1 g net carbs.

2-Ingredient Keto Peanut Butter Cookies

Low Carb So Simple

Save for a handful of fruits you can eat in moderation, sweets aren’t allowed on the ketogenic diet. But this ridiculously simple, two-ingredient cookie is an exception. With only 3 g of net carbs per serving, this recipe can satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping you on track.

Chocolate Keto Doughnut With Stevia or Powdered Erythritol

Sugar Free Londoner

Doughnuts might be one of the first foods that come to mind when you think about junk food, so it’s no surprise the treat is off-limits for keto dieters. This gluten-free, sugar-free, and low-carb version puts a keto-friendly twist on the beloved dessert. To make them, you’ll swap refined flour for almond flour, and stevia or powdered erythritol for white sugar. The result? A scrumptious treat that comes in at only 2 g of net carbs per doughnut. One warning, though: You’ll want to eat these in moderation, as erythritol can upset your stomach if you overdo it, notes a review published in October 2016 in the International Journal of Dentistry.

Zero-Carb, Keto-Friendly Gummy Candy

Step Away From the Carbs

Candy and the keto diet are two things that don't go together — until now. This easy-to-make gummy recipe allows you to enjoy all the sweetness you love with 0 g net carbs. With just three simple ingredients, you can enjoy candy again anytime you want it. Watch this blogger’s video tutorial to see how easy it is.

Irresistibly Cheesy Low-Carb Pizza

Wholesome Yum

Sure, many cheeses (including cheddar, blue, and feta) are fair game on the keto diet, but what about pizza? You guessed it: nope. Traditional pies are not keto-friendly because they’re loaded with carbs in the crust. One slice of pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut has a whopping 28.7 g of net carbs. But you can cut that number way down with this clever recipe, which takes advantage of low-carb coconut flour for the crust. Top your creation with keto-friendly fixings like asparagus, spinach, and bacon, and rest assured you’ll be coming in at only 2 g net carbs per one-slice serving.

Keto Zucchini Beer Mac and Cheese

Keto Queens

Few things offer as much comfort as a warm and cheesy bowl of macaroni and cheese. Yet the traditional kind can clock in with as many as 45 g net carbs per cup — more carbs than you would likely want in an entire day on your keto diet. Instead, try this delicious Zucchini Beer Mac and Cheese recipe, which has only 6 g net carbs. Replacing white noodles with zucchini not only cuts the carbs but also offers fiber and additional nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, and zinc.

Keto-Friendly Homemade Ice Cream

Chocolate Covered Katie

Who knew it could be so simple to make homemade ice cream? This four-ingredient recipe is perfect for anyone on keto and produces a bowl of your favorite frozen dessert in just minutes. By replacing dairy milk with coconut milk, you cut the carbs without losing the flavor. And with only 2 g of net carbs per serving, you can even consider having a second scoop.

Keto Diet Snacking Soft Pretzels

Keto Queens

Warm and salty soft pretzels are a staple at state fairs and sporting events alike. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a low-carb, keto-friendly version in public venues. Control your macronutrients by baking your own with this recipe for low-carb, bite-size pretzels, which have only 2 g of net carbs per serving, thanks to their use of almond flour rather than refined white flour. You’ll create that same mouthwatering snack you love and crave — sans guilt.